Extropian Kids
Rick Knight (rknight@platinum.com)
Mon, 25 Aug 97 08:15:47 CST
Yak wrote:
And how can we stop a child's parents from imprinting dogmatic views?
Children are an important part of progress, and some of the thing's
parents find wrong are the very things that aid that progress.
Rick Knight responds:
In my previous tidy scenario on the subject (conveniently limited to
"extropian" minded parents), I didn't factor in such a situation. If
my parents had sent me to a small "church" school and been real
adamant about it, it would've been quite different from the sometimes
carefree nature of public school with its art, dancing and overall
diversity to observe and participate in. My daughter pretty much had
that route in elementary and middle school. Unfortunately, she was
very intelligent and hated public high school even though she wanted
the freedom it afforded. She found it too big, the people too nominal
in their quest for learning and the tools for learning too limited
(schools not well-funded). So it was the other end of the spectrum
for her. Sure there were dances but the number of kids to DEAL with
was overwhelming. She tested out of high school at 14 (there's a
happy ending, she did go to the senior prom <G>).
Point is, kids adjust to what they need to. My daughter is very adept
at debate and negotiation (BELIEVE ME!) and she got that skill from
observing her mother (the lawyer!) who she lived with thru age 12.
However, on the minus side, she doesn't socialize all that well when
put in large groups. She's used to managing/leading smaller, tamer
groups of people. Hindrance or preference?
Rick